Birds In The Field

Birding in the field combines exercise, fresh air, and nature study into a past time that soon becomes a passion for anyone who ventures out with a pair of binoculars and a field guide. Those two items, along with a comfortable pair of walking shoes and appropriate clothing for the weather and terrain, are all you need to get started.

Make your first few forays into the wild with an experienced birder. It's the best way to learn the variety of habitats where you're likely to find birds. You'll learn about field marks, which include such features as the size and shape of the body or beak, behavioral characteristics, song, feather colors and patterns, among other things.

You can start your birding in the field by traveling to a nearby park or wooded area. When you spot a bird, stand quietly and look for field marks. How large or small is it? What color or colors are its feathers, and are there color patterns on the body? In what sort of habitat have you sighted the bird? Is it perching in a tree branch, clinging to the bark of the tree's trunk, on the ground? Does it seem to be hunting for food on the wing, or is it pecking around in the dirt? Does it hop along the ground or branch, or walk? Does it seem to fly in a straight line, or does its flight path "bounce" up and down? Note all these factors (many birders carry a diary for such a purpose) and then check your field guide for an identification, either on the spot or when you get home. Don't be too quick in deciding which bird you've seen. Many birds share lots of field marks in common, so find the one distinctive feature that will identify your subject.

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